“You don’t know what’s going to happen with the lockout,” Heimerdinger said. “So I’ll keep staying in contact and hopefully something will open up. In the meantime, I am going to go work on my golf game.”

His unemployment hasn’t changed one thing, however. He’s still picking up the tab when dining out here with his son, Brian, who works in the Texans’ scouting department.

“I took him to lunch a few times and to dinner, so he can save his per diem,” Heimerdinger said. “I am going to be on the hook with him for a long time.”